Severed Bonds
by Dragon Rhapsody
Summary: He had gotten rid of his former friend, but now what? Spoiler for Samurai Heroes. Motochika/Ieyasu/Motonari


**Warning: Sengoku Basara Samurai Heroes, Motochika's story spoiler!**

Motochika gazed emptily at the vast blue sky like he always did after the war between Western and Eastern army ended. Everything came back into its natural state. So many victims had fallen during the period but it was inevitable. With the weapon he possessed, the steel anchor, he lost count of how many men he had slain during his alliance with the Western, Mitsunari Ishida's army. Rage and fury consumed his way of thinking that all he could see was to take a wasteful vengeance that he, as much as he did not want to admit it, regretted.

Ieyasu Tokugawa, the leader of the Eastern army was his friend. He liked the way he thinks of peace and bonds and couldn't help almost decided to form an alliance with him. Had Ieyasu not attacked Motochika's area, that would have been done long ago, and they would just remain friends until time separate them. But when enemy ships came flooding and started bombing his own, the only thing he could see was Ieyasu's banner stood confidently, mocking him. And he thought their friendship had ended.

A lot of his crews were killed during the fierce battle. It was as if he had lost the Ieyasu that he thought as a friend. The Ieyasu that had the kind of thinking that he cherished. The Ieyasu who always chant about peace. Motochika tried to send a letter of concern towards him just to found that the messenger was killed by someone who held the banner of the Eastern army.

In the end, he and Mitsunari's forces raided the Eastern army, devouring everyone that stood on their way, ignoring the blood that stained their skins, their clothing, their weapons. In the very battle, they had slain the One-Eyed Dragon, Date Masamune along with his right-eye, Katakura Kojuro.

_"Oh, Motochika! It's so good to see you, Motochika!"_

_"Why are your eyes burning with such hatred?"_

_"Why did you form an alliance with the Western army?"_

_"I never thought that our path would cross like this."_

The anger that consumed his whole body blinded him whole and he allowed it to spread until all he could see was an enemy who savagely attacked his men. A stranger who acted so unforgivably. A man who was never his friend. That man had fallen under his weapon and the fire died out. All left was the regrets and miserable feeling of losing someone so important to him.

"Chosokabe," A familiar voice echoed, snapping Motochika back into reality. "Do you wish to end this battle quickly?" He questioned, pointing his sun-shaped weapon. "What were you thinking about?"

"The reason is still not clear..." Motochika said under his voice, which was so unlike the so-called Demon. "I don't get why he would do such thing after what we've been through. With his view of justice... it was just unlike him. I still can't believe that it's all his doing."

Mori maintained his calm facial expression, staring at the side of the pirate's body. His only visible eye was still on the sky, it looked somehow somber. "The fight is over. There is no use to look back as it will not change a thing."

"You don't understand, Mori," Motochika whispered. "Ieyasu was my best friend. We shared the same view and he was an honorable man. I couldn't see the reason why he had to do it. Such deep eyes, they weren't lying when he expressed his view about peace."

"It is not my place to intrude your private, sad, sad friendship. If you decide that you will ponder about his decision in the battlefield, then, so be it." Mori reacted, getting his battle stance ready. "I will not hold back."

Weakly, Motochika raised his anchor just to drop it on the ground again. "I guess I'll ask Ieyasu in the afterlife then." Hearing that statement, Mori took aback one of his fists and drove it straight at the pirate's cheek and he tumbled down. "Hey, make it swift, will ya?"

"You fool! You thought I will actually kill the willing? What's the pride in that?" Mori exclaimed, grabbing the Seven Seas anchor from the ground with all of his might. "If death is your desire, then fight for it."

The 'weakened' Demon sighed, snatching his weapon from Mori's hands, mumbling something that sounded like: 'It's easier to kill myself, after all'.

"Chosokabe…" Mori called after a while of silence. "What will you do if you find out that it was not him that attacked you that day?"

Motochika froze on spot. "You mean, like, if the culprit was holding Ieyasu's banner? That _is_ possible…" He gulped, biting his nails. "He was so naïve and could be easily tricked."

"It was just an 'if' question."

"Well, I'll hunt down the person behind all this and make sure he dies a painful death." Motochika put his right hand on the left side of his chest. "To dare to do such thing is just unforgivable. I know that through killing them will not erase the mistake I did of killing my good friend; it was just the only way I can think of."

Gushes of feelings rotated inside Mori's stomach. The fact is that he was the one who attacked Motochika that day, using Ieyasu's banner on the ship. He detested it when he saw both of them together, laughing; having all the fun while he missed out on all. He thought by doing so, Motochika would loath Ieyasu and form an alliance with the Western, the side he was on. His plan ran smoothly; Motochika killed Ieyasu with his own hands and he had witnessed the pleasure of seeing the leader of the Eastern army dying, trying to reach out for Motochika's hand, but ignored.

But the book was not closed, and there were no such thing as happy ending. Motochika's attitude towards everything changed drastically. The Demon who was so active at battles was at rest. Months passed and nobody had heard anything from him. Motochika had fallen silent, as if he never existed in the battlefield.

The powerful chain connecting Ieyasu and Motochika was not fully destroyed. It remained and slowly growing back, restoring into its original condition. Even though it was beginning to get rusty, Mori still couldn't break it apart. He had no position in Motochika's heart and he probably never would. Getting on Motochika's nerves was the only thing that could make the demon says his name. It was not the tone that he craved for, but it was enough for him.

And to Mori, being hated was better than not being thought of at all.

"Yukimura Sanada is not doing very well," Mori said, bending the topic. "Losing his only rival was the last thing he longed for."

"This battle had wiped out most," Motochika responded. "I want a re-match with the One-Eyed Dragon but it's no longer possible, 'ey?"

Again. Never once Motochika mentioned his name in a sentence when they were having friendly discussion, which did not happen often. He would go on about the others but him.

"Ieyasu Tokugawa…" The brunette gritted his teeth. "I know something about him that you don't, Chosokabe."

"Hm?"

He looked deep into Motochika's emerald eyes, the colour of the ocean. "But I will need something in exchange." Mori announced, maintaining his usual cold expression. Motochika frowned, looking at him questioningly. "What is your opinion of me?"

"Huh?" He raised one of his eyebrows. "It won't change your decision right?" Mori shook his head. "Okay, well… I think you're just plain annoying. I hate the way you throw another person's life as easy as flipping your palms, the way you never change your expression, the way which you are so insensitive about other's feelings…"

"It was not Ieyasu," Mori cut Motochika in the middle of his train of insult. Though he was expecting that response, it hurt to hear it coming. "It was not Ieyasu."

Motochika's only eye widened in surprise as soon as he heard the statement. "Who was it, then?" He clenched his fists. "Who!"

"I don't know," He answered softly. "But there must be a decent reason why that person did it…" Before Motochika could say 'there better be!', he continued. "For instance, they hated seeing you two so close together and then decided that killing one would solve everything. Maybe that person cherished you so much that they wanted you on their side. Maybe that person is tired of you two keep fighting like fools but had a horrible way to express it." Mori whispered, tears flooding his eyes. "Maybe all that that person ever wanted was a warm place inside your heart…" He finished, his cheeks were moist and droplets of water started to drip from his chin to the ground.

"Mori, did you possibly…" Motochika looked at the weeping figure in front of him. So frail and defenseless. "What have I done?" He stared at the brunette, dropping his heavy weapon in process. It made a loud thud noise once it made contact with the Earth. "Ieyasu, I am so sorry."

There it went, again. Not Mori, not Motonari.

"I can't believe that you actually accepted my false accusation so easily… I can't believe that I actually forgot about our times together as I was blinded by rage… I'm such a fool…" Motochika stared at Mori, but somehow, he seemed like he was looking straight through him, as if he was not standing over there.

Motochika was pressured by the sudden truth he just heard, along with the confession of the person that would be the last to say so. As much as he wanted to loath him for that, he found that the fire was not there to support him. It was already too late to mull over what he had done.

Mori knew that he should be grateful not to hear truckload of insults coming to hit him from every angle. However, being ignored like so was even more painful. He realised that he failed to break the tight chain connecting the two friends. He was just a stranger to their world.

And all left was three separate individuals with severed bonds.

**END**

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><p>Hnngggg… Motochika's story was so sad, I cried… (I'm just that sensitive trollolol) I still can't believe that Date and Kojuu actually died in that stage! I'm sorry this fanfic is<em> so<em> cheesy it hurts xD but I would appreciate nice reviews… =P


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